Latest news with #Duniam
The Australian
29-07-2025
- Politics
- The Australian
Coalition backs major childcare reforms after shocking alleged daycare incidents
The federal Coalition will back reforms to childcare, in laws introduced by the government in the wake of a series of shocking alleged incidents at day care centres. The Coalition announced it would provide bipartisan support to the Labor government at a press conference on Tuesday. 'We are calling on the government to act with haste to improve our broken childcare system,' opposition education spokesman Jonathon Duniam said. Shortly after Mr Duniam spoke to media alongside Opposition Leader Sussan Ley, the childcare reform bill passed the lower house. With the Coalition's guaranteed support, the bill can pass the senate this week. The reforms were expedited after Melbourne childcare worker Joshua Dale Brown was charged with more than 70 offences including sexual activity in the presence of a child under 16, sexual assault of a child under 16 and possessing child abuse material. He has yet to enter pleas to the charges. Opposition education spokesman Jonathon Duniam says he is baffled by some gaps in childcare regulation. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman Mr Brown's case was made public on July 1 after a suppression order was lifted, with police alleging Mr Brown abused eight children between the ages of five months and two years old. Since then, police have established Brown worked at 23 childcare centres across Melbourne between January 2017 and May 2025. Parents and carers of 2000 children have been urged to get their kids tested for sexually transmitted infections. On July 15, Victoria Police said establishing Mr Brown's work history had been 'extremely complex' due to childcare providers not having centralised records. The force said the investigation remained 'ongoing' and 'active', and expected to release further updates in the coming weeks. Labor's bill proposes to strip childcare centres of federal funding if they cannot guarantee child safety. Allegations against Joshua Brown have rocked parents across Victoria. Picture Supplied The bill's introduction was brought forward in the wake of the allegations against Mr Brown. 'We cannot just say it's a matter for state and territory governments,' Mr Duniam said on Tuesday. Mr Duniam was 'baffled' there was no nationally co-ordinated working with children check system. The Coalition also backed a national register of childcare teachers, just like with school teachers. 'There's a range of measures there that need to be dealt with. And again, our message to the government is: Please, hurry up,' Mr Duniam said. 'Parents need it, children need it. We owe it to them. This is not a blame game. Let's get on and fix the mess, and we will stand with you in doing so.' Introduced last week, the reform bill would give the commonwealth government power to cut off funding to child care centres which do not meet the National Quality Standards for safety and quality. Centres which put kids at risk are in danger of having their funding totally cut. Any illegal activity would also be grounds to lose public funding. Government staff will also be given the power to do unannounced spot-checks. Education ministers will meet in August to discuss a national register of early childhood educators. The state, territory and federal Attorney-Generals will also discuss working with children check reforms, at their meeting next month. Blair Jackson Reporter Blair's journalism career has taken him from Perth, to New Zealand, Queensland and now Melbourne. Blair Jackson
Sky News AU
29-07-2025
- Politics
- Sky News AU
Government urged to ‘hurry up' with strengthening childcare safety laws
Shadow Education Minister Jonathon Duniam urged the government to commit to improving the childcare safety system to better protect Australian youth. 'We don't have a day to waste, and every measure needs to put in place to protect young people in childcare centres,' Mr Duniam told Sky News Australia. 'We owe it to them, we owe it to their families that we have let down collectively. 'We are calling on the government … to act with haste, to have ministers bring together the reforms needed, the laws that need to change the regulations that need to be introduced to improve our broken childcare system, to protect young.'
Sky News AU
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Sky News AU
‘Alarming move': Liberal frontbenchers condemn Albanese government decision to sign letter calling for immediate end to Gaza conflict
Liberal frontbenchers have condemned the Albanese government's decision to sign a joint letter calling for the immediate end to the conflict in Gaza. Foreign Minister Penny Wong joined her counterparts from the UK, Canada, New Zealand and 22 other nations in releasing a joint statement calling for an 'immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire' to end the conflict. The letter takes aim at Israel over its handling of humanitarian aid deliveries, pointing out that 'over 800 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid'. Former IDF spokesperson Jonathan Conricus told Sky News Australia that Hamas operatives were embedding themselves among civilians attempting to access aid. He said the terror group was 'trying to incite a situation, and create that instability and mayhem' in order to stop the provision of aid. Liberal frontbencher Jonathan Duniam said the decision to sign the letter was 'a rather alarming move by the government'. 'I think Jonathan Conricus rightly points out some of the things this letter and the government ignores around what Hamas is doing when it comes to the provision of aid to Gaza,' Senator Duniam said. 'This focus on what Israel is doing, and to a degree, turning a blind eye to how this conflict started, on October 7, those years, and the continued holding of hostages - I know it mentions that, but there is more to this issue than this letter portrays. 'And I think it is a sad turn of events for our government to have joined with other countries in signing this letter. I think that it is not the right approach for the I think that it is not the right approach for the government to have taken." Senator Duniam said it was important there was a de-escalation in the conflict and a return to peace, but insisted that Israel had a right to defend itself. 'What this letter basically is talking about (is) Israel down weapons and allow the people of Gaza to go about what they're doing,' he said. 'There's a conflict here, and Israel does have the right to self-defence, including when it's trying to provide aid to the civilians of Gaza.' Shadow foreign minister Michaelia Cash also condemned the decision. 'It is disappointing that once again the Albanese Government is supporting a statement attacking Israel,' she said on X Senator Cash said all moral outrage over the situation in Gaza 'should be directed at Hamas'. 'This war began because of Hamas's abhorrent attack on Israeli civilians,' the shadow foreign minister said. 'It is important that aid flows into Gaza. Proper quantities of food and other aid must be provided to the people of Gaza. However, the right system must be in place so that it can be distributed without Hamas intervening in the process.' But when Opposition Leader Sussan Ley was asked about the issue on Monday morning, the Liberal leader refused to go as far as her Coalition colleagues. 'The first and most important thing to say about this issue is that there are still hostages in Gaza. There are still hostages hidden in tunnels, and a way to end the situation is for those hostages to be released by the terrorists Hamas, who control so much of the activity there. 'Of course, we want to see aid reach those who deserve it, but it is so important that Hamas - that has control, often over the flow of that aid, but certainly over the ongoing completely unacceptable detention of those hostages - act in the interests of the people of Gaza."
Sky News AU
19-07-2025
- Politics
- Sky News AU
‘Election no one wanted': Liberal Senator Jonathon Duniam warns AFL dreams at risk as Tasmania votes in unpredictable election
As Tasmania heads to the polls for the fourth time in seven years, Liberal Senator Jonathon Duniam has issued a stark warning about what's at stake in today's state election, with the fate of Tasmania's AFL dream hanging in the balance. Speaking to Sky News Australia on election morning, Senator Duniam said that voters are weary after two state elections, a federal election, and upper house polls in less than two years. 'I think people in Tasmania are pretty much over it. It's the election no one wanted to have, but here we are, election day, and goodness knows where this one's going to go,' he said. With polling pointing to a likely minority government, the Senator expressed deep concern over what such an outcome could mean for the future of Tasmania's AFL team and the proposed stadium at Macquarie Point. 'The Liberals might win the most seats but in order for either party to govern they're going to have to rely on the crossbench in some form and if there are crossbenchers, independents, and the Greens, who are saying 'well if you want us to support you, then you have to get rid of the stadium', I don't think it bodes very well for the future of this project which sadly means based on the demands of the AFL our state will miss out on a team.' He reiterated his long-standing position that while the stadium is a costly endeavour, creative solutions including private investment should be considered to ensure Tasmania secures its place in the national league. 'I've long said that we need to somehow find a way to get the team and perhaps delay the construction of the stadium or some other means of being able to do everything we need do to get a team, but sadly I think the result of this election, if it is a hung parliament that may mean we don't get a team because the Greens and the crossbenchers will say no to the stadium.' Senator Duniam also took aim at the Greens for their uncompromising stance on the project. 'The way the Greens in particular have pursued this, I don't think it has been helpful at all. The idea that it was all or nothing I don't think was ever an approach that would work here,' Duniam said. He highlighted the groundswell of public support for the AFL team and the long-term economic benefits the stadium could bring. 'The fans will be devastated if we don't get a team but in addition to that, the economy that would come with the stadium will be lost,' he said. 'Tasmania, for too long, has been seen in Australia as a bit of an anti-everything jurisdiction, and it's difficult to get major projects up. So, I do hope that when cooler heads prevail after this election, people can stop and think. This is not about the politics of the day; it is about the future of our state. 'The polls have indicated, as I said before, that the majority of seats, or the greatest number of seats to any one party will go to the Liberals, followed by Labour, then the Greens, and apparently a record high number of independent votes, which means you have presumably a high number of crossbench independents as well. 'Meaning it's very easy for an independent or a crossbencher with some local profile to get in to really throw a cat amongst the pigeons and create the instability we've seen over the last 18 months.' Ultimately, the Senator urged the next parliament to deliver stability and leadership. 'I could not tell you where tonight's going to go, I know where I want it to go and that is I want Jeremy Rockliff to continue to be Premier because I think that's what Tasmanian's need but the 35 members elected at the end of this election have a job to do and I just hope they get on and do it for four years and stop playing games.' With over 412,000 electors enrolled, the Tasmanian Electoral Commission is already seeing a significant rise in early voter turnout. 'Over 32,000 Tasmanian electors have already voted, either through return to postal votes, pre-poll, or our telephone voting services. And that's up by over 20,000, which again is about 20 per cent or more increase on the last election last year,' said Andrew Hawke, the Tasmanian Electoral Commissioner, in an interview with Sky News Australia.
Perth Now
19-06-2025
- Business
- Perth Now
‘Not good enough': Uni slide ‘disappointing'
Australian universities have fallen down the international rankings. However, the prestigious tertiary institutes still leave Australia ranked as the fifth-best nation for higher study. Released on Thursday, the QS World University Rankings show only Hong Kong, Singapore, Sweden and Switzerland have more top-100 universities than Australia on a relative basis. The top-ranked University of Melbourne fell from 13th to 19th spot, while the University of NSW, The University of Sydney and ANU also slipped. Australia has 36 universities in the total list of 1501 THAT QS ranked this year. Nine Australian unis made the top-100, a fifth place result. federal opposition education spokesman Jonno Duniam, called a slip in the rankings a 'disappointment'. 'The government must take note of our constant slide down the rankings and implement policy and funding solutions to get our universities to where they need to be,' he said. 'It is simply not good enough.' University Rankings Analysis of the rankings show 70 per cent of Australian universities have reduced their academic staff-to-student ratio. 'We want education policies that meet the 21st century skills that our economy demands, not just funding injections from which Australian taxpayers cannot see a reasonable return on their investments – not to mention our university students who deserve better,' Mr Duniam said. The University of NSW fell from 19th to 20th spot in this year's rankings. The University of Sydney came down from 18th to 25th, and ANU slipped from 30th spot to 32nd. Monash rose one spot to 36th, and the University of Queensland fell two spots to 42nd. UWA held steady at 77th. The unopened Adelaide University debuted in the 82nd spot. The University of Technology Sydney fell from 88th to 96th. Of Australia's top 15 universities, 13 fell down this year's rankings. Dina Rudick /The Boston Globe / Getty Images Credit: Supplied The Group of Eight is a combined body representing Australia's top eight universities; chief executive Vicki Thomson said Australia punched above its weight. 'At a time when global collaboration underpinned by quality has never been more important, the ranking result for Australia and in particular the Go8 is impressive,' she said. 'This comes against a backdrop of global uncertainty and mixed messaging from our largest research partner, the United States, which threatens our very capacity to deliver on our mission of education and research. 'And yet despite these headwinds, Australia continues to punch above its weight, ranking fifth overall as the best higher education system in the world.' The strong showing was testimony to the quality of our universities and academic and research staff, Ms Thomson said. 'That we have two Go8 members ranked in the top 20 and six in the world's top 50 is an outstanding result and must not be taken for granted but rather leveraged in these contested times,' she said. 'Singularly impressive is the debut of the new Adelaide University at 82. This result confirms that Adelaide University will create quality at the scale needed to deliver far-reaching benefits for Australia's research and higher education.' Adelaide University, set to open in 2026, is an amalgamation of the University of South Australia and The University of Adelaide. Globally, MIT, Imperial College London, Stanford University, Oxford and Harvard make the top five in that order.
